What Defines a Reliable Videoconferencing Solution? [Part 2]

Welcome back! In part one of this series of what defines a reliable videoconferencing solution (link), we took a deep dive into the critical factors of call quality and connectivity, two important factors when it comes to the basics of videoconferencing.

In part two we are going to explore three more critical factors a reliable videoconferencing solution needs. This post will cover factors that aren’t always immediately associated with reliability.

Make sure you are fully equipped to do your best when working from home:

Three more components making your videoconferencing solution reliable

Security

In these times where a secure videoconferencing solution is of the utmost importance, there are a few things that should be in place for you to be able to rely on the solution being fully secure:

EncryptionProfessional videoconferencing solutions are designed to be more secure than consumer video platforms. Professional services should offer full encryption for calls and media (the content you share during a call or meeting). This is always an important function to have - ensuring no information ends up in “the wrong hands.”

Firewall traversalThis makes it possible for users on separate networks to join in on the same meeting without having to compromise on security. This is particularly relevant for companies that have corporate firewalls implemented, which would otherwise make it very difficult for their employees to connect with users outside the company’s internal network.

It’s great for for inviting external guests, or for employees working remotely, who need to call into meetings from outside the office, but gives peace of mind to IT teams as they know video collaboration will still be easy for users when trying to join calls and meetings but remain secure.

Conference call controlsWe’re talking PIN codes, dynamic conference IDs, the ability to lock your meeting room once all guests have arrived...you get the idea. For making sure no unwanted participants join in on an important call. Further, this function should let you view a participant list and join in with just audio if that suits your situation better. Also, it makes it easier to switch between devices of convenience.

Ease of use

To ensure reliability, the solution has to be easy to use . No matter what device or platform aparticipant uses tooin, they shouldn’t have troubles when simply just wanting to join a meeting or video call.

Cloud computing has revolutionized many products and services, and the same goes for videoconferencing. A cloud solution enables mobility and gives all users instant access, allowing teams and organizations to establish more flexible approaches to how and where they work.

This is one of the main benefits of using a cloud solution. IT teams should not have to do too much management when the end user can do most things for themselves.

Works well with other videoconferencing solutions

The perfect solution should be compatible with what you already have, and be able to grow with you as your needs scale. Of course you would want your solutions to change with you.

This kind of functionality is often referred to as “interoperability,” meaning you can easily connect with different video platforms and technologies, as well as audio conferencing (users calling in with traditional telephone dial-in). This way, you won’t need an on-demand IT support team to get everyone around the same table.

VCaaS (Videconferencing-as-a-Service) solutions let subscribers meet easily with customers, partners, suppliers, and colleagues by using a virtual meeting room hosted in the cloud. This meeting room supports dial-in from different platforms and devices, and means you can use a single meeting link to share with guests and add to invitations. The other participants don’t have to be subscribers to the service; they can simply join as “guests.” And they can all use the same link, regardless of device or platform.

There you have it - a reliable videoconferencing solution and nothing short of it. Together with Part 1 (link) of this series, you have five important factors you need in order to call your videoconferencing solution reliable.